


Still Different Than You Think

by Aiden_Ravelle



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-31 01:33:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12121653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiden_Ravelle/pseuds/Aiden_Ravelle
Summary: A sequel to Different than you think. Batjokes pairing. Harley attacks Joker, Jokers arm gets paralyzed, does Batman and Joker stay together? Read to find out!





	Still Different Than You Think

Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Robin

It's been a couple months since Bruce started dating The Joker. It turns out I had been overly judging the Joker and he really did love Bruce. They ended up giving each other promise rings until they could get married when Bruce retires. Bruce's has a joker card engraved onto it. Jokers' has bats engraved into his. I don't understand it, but if they are happy then good for them.

Bruce isn't letting me go out without him like he promised. He's being so over protective. I was hoping that Joker would calm him down but it didn't, I now just have one more person worrying about me out there. I know Joker has been acting nice to me, which I am grateful for, it's better than he treats Alfred. He likes to pull pranks and tricks on Alfred. But, I wonder if he is acting nice because he was told to by Bruce, if he really is being nice or if he is just worried about me because he knows if I'm upset it will make Bruce upset.

It doesn't matter reasons behind anything, I've decided to give up the Robin uniform to go find myself somewhere else. I'm running away. Joker and Alfred will care for Bruce and we can get some time away from each other. He won't have to worry much; I will be staying with Uncle Clark.

Goodbye for now Bruce. Thank you.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Joker

"The Clown Prince of Crime is back! Harley are you here?" I say as I get to the hideout. Had she moved it on me? It's never been moved, but maybe because I took longer on my vacation than I had originally told her she got angry and took everything? After I walk around a little bit more I get to the center of the hideout and I see Harley asleep in my chair.

"Harles?" I ask.

"Mr. J?" She looks up confused, did this seem like a dream to her?

"I'm back Harles, sorry I was away so long. I got you a present," I handed her a little gold tiara. She's always wanted to be a princess.

"Mr. J! You are back! Why did you take so long? I was starting to believe the rumors that you had been killed by Batman!" She jumped up and hugged me.

"Where is everyone else?" normally my gang hung around all the time, had they left?

"They only come by at night anymore. Work for you during the nights and someone else during the day," she said.

"Who are they working for?" I wondered.

"Different people. Some for Riddles, some for Dent. Although, I heard they are working together now. They had been working together, but had been captured. They escaped though and are now maybe even more than working together. There's been a lot of weird rumors of people getting together lately."

"Really? Who else?" I seriously wondered, I always wanted to play villain matchmaker. I always saw Ivy and Kittycats getting together, and I could never see Freeze with anyone. He was too in love with his frozen wife.

"All kinds of people. The weirdest though is because people haven't seen you lately and a lot of criminals who are hard to catch have started getting caught, they think you have started sleeping with Batman," she said laughing.

"Me? With Bats? Hahahahahaha," I laughed, a little more than I should have, "So how much have we brought in since I went on vacation?"

"Half a million and 30 dead," she said.

"You've been a busy girl. Thank you for keeping things going while I've been gone. I ended up finding and working with a gang in a nearby city. It was nice to be away from Gotham, but I've started to miss it," I said.

I walked into another room, my bedroom. I looked around and thought about how much I really did miss this place. The mayhem I caused. I was going to take a nap. Tonight would be a long night. I wanted to talk to some of my gang. I missed them more than I had expected.

I had been helping Bruce capture regular criminals, which had been going well, but Harley was starting to get out of hand, even for my standards. We had to stop her. Bruce wasn't going to ask me to give away my hideaway and my own gang, but he was feeling down lately. The boy blunder had recently run away to go live with Superman for a while. I was surprised how much I actually missed him, but I knew Bruce was worried about him and wondering if they could ever get back on good terms again.

I knew getting Harley into Arkham would cheer him up so I set up this plan. I would go in, find out what's been going on lately, and Bruce would come in tonight to "capture" us.

Honestly, now that I'm here I wanted to commit another crime. It's the last chance I have to ever feel that rush again, after tonight by hideout and followers would be gone. I'm tired so I end up falling asleep hoping I'll dream of a good scheme for tonight.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Bats

I hope he's doing alright in there. This is more danger that I wanted to put him in, but it was his idea. Plus, neither of us believes Harley would be against him, just happy he is back.

He told me which boards were thinnest to break in. It works and I come crashing into a scene. Joker is in a chair, tied up, with Harley pointing a gun at him.

"Ah Batman, I knew you'd show up," she said not taking the gun off Joker.

"What are you up to Harley?" I ask, why would she be ready to shoot Joker?

She points the gun at me, I see Joker look up with his wide green eyes and I see terror in them. "I had heard some stories that you and Mr. J had been working together. I hadn't believed it, but during a nap I heard him keep whispering Bats over and over. I then found this ring on him under his glove," she threw his promise ring at me. "I know him, he would never willingly work with you, so I realized you must be brain washing him because you need him to help you. I've taken him hostage to save him and to prevent you from getting us. You let us get away and I won't shoot him. You won't be able to capture him again and now that the ring is off of him it can't brain wash him."

She really thinks a ring is brainwashing him? Really? She is seriously stupid sometimes. What do I do? Leave and hope he escapes?

"Harley" Joker tries to say through the mouth gag she put on him.

She goes over to him and unties it, "Sorry Mr. J, I was just going through the hostage routine, I didn't need to gag you."

"Thank you," he said, "You didn't need to tie me up you know. You could have just threatened me."

"I didn't want him controlling you to escape, believe me hun, I've thought this all through," Harley said, not taking her eyes off of me.

"Just go Bats. You are not controlling me anymore, you can't use me now. Go," His eyes were serious but pleading with me. He just wanted to keep me safe.

I left the room, but stayed close by. After a minute, I heard a scream and a gunshot.

Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Joker

I got my Brucie out of there and out to safety. Harley had gone insane, but I thought I'd get out safely. But, she turned on me.

She untied me acting like everything was fine but then she started talking.

"I used to think I loved you Mr. J," she said coolly, "but I've realized I was just in love with your power. Now that I have the gang, I have the power, we don't need you. Batman can never get you now either," she said as she pointed the gun at me, I couldn't have run if I wanted to. The room was too enclosed and she would catch me.

"Good-bye Mr. J," She said as she pulled the trigger.

I looked down, the nice purple and green suit Bruce had bought me was now stained with red. I felt no pain yet, but I knew it was the end. I couldn't survive this. Harley left the room to let me die in silence.

I really didn't have much time to think but it crossed my mind how different everything was a few months ago. I had been trying to die, just realizing how many I'd hurt and giving up on my obsession with the Bat. I'd hung myself, failing, as I was rescued by Bats. Oh how I love that man. Now I was trying to help him, make up for the wrong I'd done. I'll never see his face again. The face of a god.

"I love you Bats," I said as I blacked out.

Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Bats

I ran back to the room worried. I peeked in to make sure there was no immediate danger and that's when I saw him. My Joker, covered in blood and dying, or dead, on the ground. I ran over to him, he still had a slow pulse but he had lost a lot of blood. I had to get him home. I had to save him.

I turned him over and looked at his face. He had a slight smile on it, a lot different than his normal Joker smile. He had been shot. Too many people I've lost to guns.

I sprayed his wound with putty that would help stop some of the bleeding until I could get him home. I scooped him into my arms and ran until I reached the batmobile. We'd be home soon, he could make it. I put the car on autopilot and called Alfred.

"Hello Master Bruce," he said.

"Alfred, prepare a table and IV's. Joker is bad. He's been shot."

"Right away Master Bruce. Don't worry, we've taken care of gunshots before, he'll be fine," Alfred tried to calm me.

"None this bad Alfred," I said worried. Would a hospital be a better place for him? He was still listed as a wanted criminal; he'd end up in Arkham. I could always break him out of there if I needed to. Let's see what Alfred can do.

When we got there I put Joker on the table. Alfred started working. I didn't want to leave his side but Alfred insisted I go change and shower.

I had lost my parents, my ward just ran away from me and now my lover was dying. What did I do in life to deserve all of this? Didn't I do enough to make up for any mistakes?

After my shower I went to him. Alfred was just finishing stitching him up. I wanted to ask how he was, but I couldn't bring the words to my mouth.

"Master Joker is still alive, sir. The bullet was near his heart but did not hit it, so he just barely survived. I had to give him a lot of blood because he lost way too much. He needs time to heal; he might be asleep for a few days or more before he has enough energy to get up. Also, I hope you don't mind, but I called Master Greyson to let him know what happened."

Why would I care if he called Dick? I guess he should know, but he's off living his own life right now, matters here won't matter much to him, especially matters of Joker. They acted like they got along but I think Dick was always suspicious.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Robin

I've been having a good time. Uncle Clark and Aunt Lois have been very nice to me. Clark understands what I am going through and has even been helping me hone my skills by fighting against me. It's been going well.

It was late one night, I should have been asleep, but I was used to staying up late on patrol with Bruce, and I got a call.

"Master Richard," I heard Alfred on the other line.

"Alfred, how are you?" I realized how late it was, Alfred wouldn't call me unless it was an emergency, "What's happened? Where's Bruce?"

I was starting to get worried.

"Master Bruce is fine. Master Joker on the other hand has been shot. He's still alive but he's critical. I am working on stitching him up now. I wanted to call before Master Bruce came back in, in case he would have prevented me from contacting you," He said, "I just thought you should know. I know you care more about Master Joker than you care to let on and I know Master Bruce is worried sick."

"Thanks for letting me know Alfred. I'll be there as soon as I can," I hung up. Alfred was right, I did care about Joker more than I let on, but who wouldn't care about someone who made their father figure happy? And Bruce, he's worried sick. Joker could take a while; I need to be there for Bruce.

I hated to wake him, but I went into Uncle Clarks' room, "Uncle Clark," I whispered.

He rolled over and looked at me. It was dark but he must have seen the worried look on my face. He got up and we left the room to make sure we didn't wake Lois.

"What's going on Dick?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Please take me back to Wayne Manor, there's been some trouble," Clark was one of the few that knew who Batman was and was in the fewer that knew he was with Joker.

He grabbed me up ran out of the house and flew up into the sky. I told him what had happened on the way. It didn't take more than a minute to get there. He could have flown faster but I wasn't used to traveling at those speeds so it would have made me sick.

"Thank you," I told him as he sat me down outside the door.

"Any time," He said, "Take care of Bruce and let me know what happens. You are welcome to come back any time you wish," and he flew up and away.

I ran in the door and went down to the batcave. Joker was on a table and Bruce was sitting next to him with his head down. Alfred was at the desk and stood up when I came in.

"Welcome home Master Dick," he said coming over to hug me. Most butlers don't hug who they work for but we were a family here.

Bruce looked up at me for a second then looked back down. He was consumed with worry. Would he sit there until Joker wakes up? That could be days.

I walked over to him and gave him a slight hug. We had a falling out, but we were still close. We were still family. I pulled up a chair and sat next to him. We sat there for what seemed like hours. Joker stayed still the whole time. If I hadn't seen the slight lift in his chest to breathe I would have thought he was dead. I ended up falling asleep and only woke when Bruce was carrying me to my room.

"You didn't have to carry me, I know you want to stay by him," I said groggily.

"I know, but I care about you too. You are my son Dick, I care about you more than you can imagine," he said as he opened the door to my room and set me on the bed.

"Goodnight Dick, I'm sorry about our fight and I'd just like to say welcome back, even if you decide to only stay the night," he started to leave.

"Thank you and I'm sorry as well. He'll be ok you know," I said trying to comfort him. I fell asleep as soon as he closed the door.

After that first night Joker got moved up to the guest room he was first given when he arrived here after hanging himself. Bruce spent a lot of time up there with him. The few times Bruce did leave were as Bruce Wayne to go lobby against gun violence. He'd now had 3 people he loved shot; only one might survive. Batman was played off as injured which is why he hadn't been seen.

We talked and I decided that I would go my separate way once we knew if Joker was going to live and get back to normal. We would still stay close though, and I would help him whenever he needed it. I like having his blessing for it more than just running away.

I'm starting to wonder if Joker will make it through this. It's been almost two weeks now and even for that type of injury that was a while. I hope he makes it… For Bruce's sake.

Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Joker

I wake up but don't open my eyes. I feel next to me for my Bats. I don't feel anything so I open my eyes. He's not here. This isn't his room. This looks like the room I woke in when I tried to kill myself.

The realization hit me hard, "Harley shot me."

Am I alive? Is this heaven? Is it actually hell this time? Looking like a familiar surrounding then taking it away?

I walk downstairs. The house is quiet as usual. I go to the library because if he is home, he'll be there or in the cave. I go in and Bruce is sitting there.

"Am I in Hell?" I ask as he looks up and smiles.

"Are you going to ask that every time you almost die?" he chuckled.

"Is that a no? Did I really survive that? How?" I asked in shock.

"I'll tell you what happened if you tell me what happened, ok?" he said after getting up from his chair and leading me to the couch.

"Well, I got you out of there first. I can't believe she was dumb enough to think a ring could brainwash me," I looked down and notice my ring was back where it belonged, "She turned on me though. She said she never really loved me and wasn't handing my gang over. It was a mutiny. She then shot me to make sure I wouldn't try to take it from her and to prevent you from brainwashing me so I could be used against her," I said brainwashing while making quotation marks with my hands.

"Well, I stuck close by after I left the room. I heard a gunshot and screaming," he said.

Before he continued, I interupeted, "I didn't scream though."

"Maybe you were so in shock you did scream and didn't notice," he said after a minute, "Anyway, I went in and checked all around then I saw you on the floor. You were soaked in blood. I didn't think you made it. I then realized you still had a pulse and I rushed you here. Alfred took the bullet out and stitched you up. It was right near your heart, it just missed," he finished quietly.

"How long was I out?" I wondered out loud.

"It's been about two and a half weeks. We weren't sure if you'd ever wake up," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry," I said as I hugged into him.

"Never be sorry, especially for something that's not your fault. You don't understand how hard it's been to not go out and kill that bitch," he admitted.

"Don't worry Batsy. I'll help you catch her and make sure she never escapes Arkham again," I said starting to scheme. This could be the closest to a crime I would get. I get to catch some prey, mess with her mind. I started to do my signature Joker laugh which I haven't laughed often since coming to Wayne Manor.

"I don't know if I want to let you near her again. You almost died," he said worried.

"I'll be fine Batsy. I won't underestimate her again," I said.

I worked training with Bruce for a few days to get my strength back and to make sure I was really healed like I should be.

The day to attack was coming closer. I would go in during the day when no one but her was there. Then, once I caught her, we'd wait until night and catch my men. I wasn't sure if I'd actually turn them in, it's not like they were the ones that turned against me.

The plan was to go in and knock her out. If a fight ensued, I was prepared. Bruce was not too far off and would come in as soon as I sent him the signal. We had communicator bracelets to stay in contact.

I went in with a gun, Bats was against them but didn't argue when I said I wanted one. I also had my knife ready in my hand.

I went in and found her in the main room. Blood can't be cleaned from these floors, so I could see just how much blood I lost. Something in my mind snapped.

"The Clown Prince of Crime is back again! A little bullet can't stop me; didn't you know that you bitch?" I screeched at her. I started laughing hysterically and she actually looked kind of scared. It didn't look like she had a weapon on her to protect herself.

"Mr. J?," she whined in fear, "What are you doing?"

"Well, I thought I'd come show you that I'm doing wonderfully, no thanks to you," I grinned like a madman. I walked up to her as she froze with fear. I scratched her cheek with my knife. Ohh how I missed being like this, it wasn't entirely all for his attention. I tied her to my chair, not the one I was tied to by Harley, but the one that had been my throne. I was the prince of crime and you can't be royalty without a throne. I tied her so tight she would bruise soon. I tied her wrists, her back and even her neck. The neck tie wasn't as tight as the others, but it was tight enough to lightly choke her.

"What am I going to do with you today Harles?" she looked scared and I loved every second of it. What would I do with her? I was supposed to just catch her and call Bats, but I wanted to have a little bit of fun first. She did try to kill me after all.

I got my knife out again and got closer to her. I took it and said, "I think you shot me about right here!" I said jabbing the knife at her. She flinched and closed her eyes. I just barely touched her with it. Mess with her mind first. When she finally looked up and realized I didn't stab her, she said, "You didn't stab me."

"Nope," I said taking the knife and stabbing deep down into her thigh, "Now I did though."

She screamed in pain. I wiggled the knife around a few seconds before taking it out.

"Don't kill me," she pleaded.

"Hahahahaha I wouldn't do that to you. At least not until after you have blood covering every inch of your body," I laughed darkly.

She flinched when I grabbed one of her pig tails. Her hair was her most prized possession. I slid my knife across at the end of the band, half her hair was gone. She started to cry, she knew how I could get and knowing she was on my bad side she knew it could mean death.

A picture of Bats popped into my head. It was like he was the conscience to my madness. I started to calm down but I knew what I had to do. I wasn't like him, I would take someone out for preventative measures. I created Harley as she is, it was my fault any harm she caused. I needed to save others by getting rid of her. I've done enough; I will make it quick, easy and painless.

I hold up the gun and point it at her, "It's for the best," I assure her.

As I go to pull the trigger I get tackled to the ground. The gun flies across the room and I hear a crunching noise. I try to push my tackler off of me, but I can't move my arm. I can't feel my arm. I've had broken bones before, but I've never had a paralyzed limb. I was crippled, hopefully not forever, but it took all the fight I had out of me. Soon, he climbed off of me. It was Bats. He must have thought I was taking too long and come to check. He stopped me from killing her. She tried to kill me, she has killed hundreds, yet he won't let me kill her.

He showed no pity, no sign of caring. He untied Harley and cuffed her. He then came to me, pulled me off the ground and went to cuff me. When he noticed my shoulder, he took a quick look at it like he was slightly worried about putting me in cuffs, the first and only time he showed concern. He'd never really hurt me. Some bruises here and there and maybe a broken rib, but those were nothing.

"I can't feel it. Any of it," I told him as I attempted to move my arm, failing.

A look that seemed like pain flashed through his eyes for a second, but then went back to the cold glare from before. He cuffed me up and led Harley and I outside. She was still crying, terrified, but she knew with Batman she would survive. She was put in the back of the batmobile and I was put up in the front seat where Dick used to sit.

The car flew down the streets on a route I knew all too well. Arkham Asylum, the big daunting sign read as we pulled up.

He took in Harley first. Generally he would not leave me alone in the batmobile when we were in a situation like this, even when I was handcuffed, but he knew with my arm like this I couldn't get out by myself if I tried and he had trusted me, though all that trust might be gone now.

After a few minutes he came back out to get me. He pulled me up out of the car with my good arm. As we reached the door, he whispered, "When you break out again, let's talk."  
He seemed to be friendlier now, but still cool toward me. This time was worse than all other times being brought into Arkham. Before, I had a plan to escape, people to help me, and a desire to be captured by Batman. Now, I know I've disappointed him and I know I've thrown away any trust he had in me. Once trust is gained and lost, it's hard to be gained again.

He took me to my cell and left. Doctors started examining my arm and shoulder. They said the whole shoulder was shattered and would need to be replaced before they could even tell if the movement and feeling would come back.

They performed surgery that night and I awoke the next morning in my cell.

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Bats

It's been a week since Joker tried to kill Harley. I don't know if he went in there planning to do that or if he snapped. I feel terrible, I tried to stop him and I paralyzed his shoulder and arm. At least I have consolation in the fact that he didn't feel the pain of it breaking. However, he may never use the arm again, and if he does it might be a painful healing.

He tried to kill her, so I had to let him think about what happened. I know he's good and he'd come to see the good side of things. I promised to accept him as he is, crazy psychopath and all, but I know he's better than that. I know he is so much better. He needs to remember that.

I'm surprised I haven't heard from him yet. I decide to go to Arkham, check on him, see if he's escaped yet. It happened so often they quit calling me for escapes.

I show up, as batman of course, and say I heard Joker was planning something and wanted to check to make sure he was still there.

When I got there the doctors told me he is on high security alert because he's been acting different. He's not been fighting back and not being his usual self. They think he might be acting this way to make himself seem innocent so they go easier on him and he can escape easier.

I know better. I've seen him at his most depressed; he's tried to kill himself before. This seems like his depression, probably set off by me, his shoulder and Arkham. I thought telling him we should talk would be hopeful to him; a hint that we could be ok again.

Maybe he thought I meant we were going to break apart and we were going to discuss that. Maybe he's afraid of me. I've never really hurt him before and this time it could be life changing. I know he's strong enough to get through it, however it ends up, but I don't know if I can forgive myself for hurting him. He had hurt other people though and it was my job to protect others, even if that includes other criminals.

The doctors gave me his most recent file. He's shown up to all of the meetings with the psychiatrist, but oddly, he hasn't been talking to them. Generally he tries to mess with them, or get information from them, or very rarely, actually tell them what is on his mind, but he's never been silent. He's not normally a silent person. This strengthens my depression theory even more.

"He hasn't tried anything? At all?" I ask.

"No, he's barely touching his food, he's curled up in bed or sitting in a chair almost all day, it's just not normal. Although, what is normal to a psychopath?" A woman doctor answered.

"How's his shoulder?" I worried.

"The actual shoulder was replaced. It's still healing and with the brace it's in he couldn't move it even if he tried. He won't talk to us, so we don't know if the feeling has come back and if it has we don't know to what degree. We have him on a low grade pain killer in case it starts up. It should really hurt if the feeling comes back, so we are hoping he will talk to us then," she says like she cares. Some of the doctors here actually care about their patients, even the ones that escape and are brought back often. Other doctors don't care because the patients are criminals.

They show me to the one sided window. I can see him, but he can't see me. He couldn't see me anyway though. His knees were up and his head was down touching the end of his knees. His back was facing the window as well. There were cameras in there that monitoring him 24/7. However, the lights were turned off at night so they could only tell if he escaped because an open door or hole in the wall would bring in light.

"Let me know if he changes," I say as I disappear down the hall way.

I hate to see him like that and I need to find a way to get him out of there because he apparently isn't going to try to himself.

We know him better here, can get him meds and help cheer him up, and we can perform surgeries. It's a good thing that I went to medical school a few years ago.

I would find a way to break him out in 2 days. I can think of a good plan while I am out on patrol tonight.

I decided I would claim I needed him to help me catch Bane. They were hardly ever in the same circle, but Bane was one of the only criminals that hadn't been in recently.

Most of the time, I could not take criminals, especially from jail. However, the doctors at Arkham trust me and would believe that I had good intentions if I took a criminal with me. I could then say Joker escaped from me and I was working on catching him.

I would give it until tomorrow to go through with the plan, because I needed to decide what I would do with Joker once I had him. I'd like things to go back to normal, but I'd have to pull him out of depression, which could take a while, and I had to make sure he's eating and it would just be extremely time consuming. I would love to spend all of my time with him though, so that will help. I'm worried that he will be afraid of me. I can let him go if I have to, if he's too afraid, I won't force him to stay with me, but I'd like to help him out of this if I can.

Alfred comes up to the library and he looks worried, "Sir, it's Master Joker. There's an emergency at Arkham."

Without even answering him, I get down to the batcave, change and drive off in a hurry. I run inside and down to the doctor's office. When I get there they look like they are expecting me.

"What's going on?" I said trying to seem concerned but not show the frantic worry in my voice.

"As you know, he is not allowed any weapons in his cell. He is only given a spoon and a very dull knife at feeding time. Apparently last night though, while the lights were off in his cell he used to knife to cut himself. It looks like he had to saw at his arm, but if he can't feel it anyway that wouldn't bother him. It appears he was trying to commit suicide but it could just be a call for attention or part of a scheme. He was found unconscious this morning due to a large blood loss. We stitched up the wound and gave him a bit of blood. He hasn't regained consciousness as of yet, but we don't think he lost enough to have any brain damage. We just thought you should know incase this is a scheme," The woman doctor from yesterday filled me in.

"Well, call me once he's regained consciousness. I've heard he knows where Bane is and so I'd like to take him to help me find Bane," I say, partially truthful.

"We normally wouldn't let you take anyone, especially a patient that is acting so out of character, but we know you can handle him and will bring him back or take him to the GCPD when you are done," she said about my request, "I'll call when he's awake."

A few days later I got the call. I had been worried he wouldn't regain consciousness, but he finally did. He takes a long time to heal from things.

I went in acting like I was only there for serious business. They let me in his room where they were taking the IV's off of him. He was so skinny. I mean, he was always skinny, but he was starting to look malnourished.

"Joker," I say in my rough Batman voice, "I need your help to catch Bane. Will you come with me to help?"

He looked up with dead eyes and nodded. Was it too late to save him?

He was cuffed up and I led him out to the car, once there I took his hands carefully and uncuffed him.  
"I'm sorry," I whisper, knowing that a simple sorry does not express everything I want to say.

"For what?" he asked quietly, "You saved her and you saved me from something I would eventually have regretted."

"What's one more murder to your list? It's not like it would have been the first person you killed. It probably would have prevented more murders in the future."

"That's what I had been thinking…" he trailed off.

After a few minutes I decide to bring up the biggest worry of mine, "I'm sorry about your shoulder and arm."

"Well, they don't hurt," he said, matter of fact-ly.

I know he didn't mean them to, but those words hurt a lot. When we got to the batcave, we got out and sat on some chairs near each other. Maybe this would have been easier in the car because we wouldn't have to face each other.

"I'm going to be straight up honest with you because I think it will help us greatly if we are open with each other, ok?" he looked up from his lap and nodded, "Alright… I got terribly worried about you when I didn't hear from you for so long. I went to go in and help you or rescue you if you needed it. I'm sorry that I didn't let you kill Harley, things would be better off if she wasn't out and about committing more crime, but I couldn't see another person die. I feel terrible about your shoulder and never meant to hurt you in any way. I sent you to Arkham thinking you would have time to think about it and then escape and come home, but you never did and then you tried to kill yourself and that hurt so much more than last time, because I wasn't there to be the one to save you or to help you. I don't know where I'd be if I lost you," I started to cry. Crying was a rarity for Bruce Wayne, but even more rare being in the bat costume still. I gathered my strength and continued, "I understand if you don't want to be here because I hurt you or for any other reason, but I won't let you go until I know you are stable again."

After a few minutes he started to talk, "Bats… I don't want to leave."

After a pause he continued, "It would be better if Harley was gone, but I would regret it. I tried…" I knew what he was switching to by the tone of his voice, "because I thought you'd hate me, think I went back to my old ways, and think I was a monster."

Depressed because of worrying about me not liking him? Again? That I wasn't expecting. I thought it would be from his paralysis and fear of me.

"Jokes," I reached over and took his hand, "I promised to accept you for who you are and for everything you are. I knew this was in you and that this could happen and I accepted it. You took me as I am and knew that if I could, I would stop you. I just never meant to hurt you."

He squeezed my hand and said, "Thank you."  
"Are we ok?" I ask just to make sure.

"Always," he smiled back.

Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Joker

This is the worst pain I've ever felt. I knew it would hurt but dammit this is ridiculous. It's probably from not feeling for so long that all the feeling that was coming back was ten times as worse as normal. I tried not to scream. My eyes started to tear up. After a few moments the pain began to subside but not entirely. There was an extreme ache but it was better than the stabbing pain from before.

"I can see you are feeling it now, Master Joker," Alfred said. We could not use pain medication before because it could numb me too much to the point I wouldn't know if my feeling came back or not. Alfred and Bruce decided to work on my shoulder to see if I could get movement and feeling back in my arm. It worked, obviously in terms of feeling, but I wasn't allowed to try to move it for a while until it healed some. If I got feeling but no movement I really don't see the point in going through all of this pain, so I better be able to move it. I would have been fine leaving it how it was but Bruce insisted on fixing what he did.

"This will help," Bruce said kindly as he shot my arm with a needle. Slowly my arm began to get numb again as the medicine worked its way through.

After the surgery Bruce had gotten me put on some anti-depressants. You'd think being a clown, being with the man I love and being off the streets that I'd be happy as can be, but with past events proving, that is not the case.

My shoulder ached for a long time, but it got better and stronger and I started to get normal use out of it again.

With me helping Bats most of the criminals were caught and stayed caught. Because of it, we got to spend more time together and he rarely put on the cape and the cowl. He proposed to me on one of our dates. We were at a little cabin in the woods that Bruce owned for camping trips. We haven't gotten married yet but the date is set for the two year anniversary of him saving me for the first time, the day I wrote him that I loved him. I know he accepts me for everything I am, the crazy psychopath and the man hiding beneath that simple criminal mask. I accept him for everything he is, who wouldn't? He saved me, saves Gotham on a regular basis, and helps improve the politics and economy as well. I know he is the best thing to ever happen to me. I get along better with Alfred, even though I do still play tricks on him occasionally. Dick actually helps me sometimes if he is visiting. This really is the life and I'm glad I am not a rotting corpse in the ground like I would have been if it wasn't for Batman.


End file.
